Chapter 619: Breeding Demon Beasts
The Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor was composed of thousands of interlocking scales, fitting snugly against Zhang Yu’s body like a second skin. It radiated a jade-like cyan glow, giving it the warmth of jade and the fluidity of water.
For Zhang Yu, the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor was intimately connected to his flesh and blood. Not only did he constantly circulate his Magic Power through it, but it also maintained a continuous exchange of vital energy with his body, functioning almost like another organ.
“Calling it an organ isn’t quite accurate,” Zhang Yu mused inwardly, sensing the armor’s operation. “It lacks neural and vascular connections, making it distinct from a true Bionic.”
“More accurately, it exists in an intermediate state between a magical artifact and a Bionic.”
Having mastered the relevant artifact refinement techniques, Zhang Yu had sensed this possibility when he first examined the blueprints for the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor.
“Historically, Bionics evolved gradually from magical artifacts,” he reflected. “Through countless researchers’ efforts, artifacts were gradually integrated into the body. After successive generations of refinement and innovation, they eventually became new organic organs.”
“Armor like the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor represents an intermediate stage in historical development, where some magical artifacts gradually evolved into Bionics.”
“However, it’s not an actual historical artifact; rather, it’s based on that design philosophy.”
As Zhang Yu entered the water, the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor’s formidable capabilities became increasingly evident.
Not only did Zhang Yu sense an enhancement in his physical constitution and strength through the armor’s augmentation, but the surrounding currents seemed to become extensions of his will.
With a mere thought, a hydrokinetic field surged outward from his body, swirling like vortices to propel him and the sword casket forward at high speed underwater.
A thunderous boom erupted as the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power propelled Zhang Yu’s velocity even further, driving him relentlessly forward along the racecourse.
Simultaneously, his vigilance heightened. He knew that contestants were permitted to attack each other during the Underwater Race.
As a prime target for those seeking to seize his rising popularity, Zhang Yu remained cautious whenever he spotted other racers.
His Bionic Eye displayed his current ranking:
“I’m the fourth to start. There are three ahead of me.”
“The first one I need to surpass is Ling Pojun.”
With the dual enhancements of the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power and the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor, Zhang Yu’s speed was truly remarkable. In the blink of an eye, he had already caught up to Ling Pojun.
Under the raging torrents of water, without waiting for Ling Pojun to react, Zhang Yu had already surged past him.
The numbers flashed in Zhang Yu’s Bionic Eye: “Now in 3rd place.”
Ling Pojun, who had been advancing at full speed, suddenly felt a violent surge of water beside him. A dark figure shot past him, accelerating fiercely ahead.
“Zhang Yu?!” Ling Pojun exclaimed inwardly, activating his Water-Repelling Pearl to accelerate. But no matter how hard he pushed, he could only watch Zhang Yu’s figure recede further and further, like a massive wave of traffic and attention fading into the horizon.
Ling Pojun cursed inwardly, “Damn it… he’s already that fast?”
Having effortlessly shaken off Ling Pojun, Zhang Yu glanced at the jungle-like coral reefs flashing past his vision. Swarms of fish scattered in the wake of his surging momentum. He thought to himself, “Not bad.”
“Even faster than I anticipated.”
“This Underwater Race suits me perfectly.”
As Zhang Yu accelerated, his vital energy surged through him. He could feel an increasingly harmonious connection between himself and the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor.
Especially as the Four-Headed White Ox roared repeatedly in his mind, the flesh and blood throughout his body seemed to come alive, constantly pressing against the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor as if seeking to merge completely with it.
“So it is the Crippled Ox Body-Sacrifice Heart Art’s Immeasurable Heart Inner Dharma Body,” Zhang Yu thought. “Could these two cultivation arts from the Great Sage’s Heir… be resonating with the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor?”
From within the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor came a desperate craving — a thirst for “blood.”
Zhang Yu had sensed this urge the first time he wore the armor and had even tried offering his own blood… to no avail.
He suspected this might be related to the hidden black art within the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor.
“Does it require blood to activate?”
“But what kind of blood? Whose blood?”
Lost in thought, Zhang Yu gradually slowed down in the water.
This leg of the Underwater Race required competitors to follow a map and navigate a circuit around this sea-like underwater expanse, passing through 18 designated zones in sequence and registering at each zone.
The registration process involved locating the registration device within each zone and using their relay ball to complete the registration.
Zhang Yu slapped his sword casket, and twenty-four flying swords shot forth like darting fish, instantly expanding into a Sword Realm to probe in all directions.
“This trial tests detection skills, which happens to be my forte.”
As the twenty-four flying swords probed in different directions, detailed topographical data materialized within Zhang Yu’s Bionic Eye.
Simultaneously, he detected faint Spirit Realm signals.
Moments later, a black sphere materialized before him. As the sphere collided with the relay ball in his hand, he completed registration. The black sphere shattered immediately afterward, its purpose fulfilled.
Zhang Yu mused inwardly, “So they’re all single-use devices? Each time I’ll have to find a new registration device.”
Casually tossing aside the shattered black sphere, Zhang Yu accelerated, creating a swirling water dragon as he shot toward the next area.
At the same time, an idea surged through his mind.
“Searching each area one by one is far too slow.”
So, upon reaching the next level and beginning to manipulate his flying swords to search for the registration sphere, the scales of his Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor vibrated, and another water field spread out.
“Let’s see if this trick works.”
With a splash, a large school of fish was drawn toward Zhang Yu.
Then, streams of fiend energy flowed from the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor, coursing through the fish. The creatures’ flesh and blood began to convulse violently, transforming visibly and rapidly into Demon Beasts.
While Zhang Yu was searching for the registration spheres and using his Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor to propagate Demon Beasts, many students and teachers had already gathered at the finish line.
Dao Qiankun watched the live broadcast of the competition. Someone beside him remarked, “Xue Jiuyou, having secured an absolute lead in the previous round thanks to Kuang Tianqing, started first and remains in the lead.”
“Next is Yu Yunzhan, who received the relay sphere from Bai Zhenzhen and started second. Fusing with his sword, he cuts through the waves at an astonishing speed, rapidly closing the gap with Xue Jiuyou. It seems he’ll take the lead soon.”
“Oh? Zhang Yu’s underwater speed is remarkable as well. He’s overtaken Ling Pojun and now sits in third place.”
True Monarch Tranquility, observing this, nodded slightly. “Did you choose Zhang Yu first because you knew he excelled in the Underwater Race?”
Dao Qiankun smiled faintly and shook his head. “I didn’t think that far ahead. No matter how far behind they fall in the earlier stages, I’ll always catch up in the final round.”
“I chose Zhang Yu simply to get him into the finals,” Dao Qiankun said. “After all… he’s the one who will help me claim the throne.”
True Monarch Tranquility naturally didn’t believe this explanation. He mused inwardly, “Does he distrust everyone else? Like… Jiutian Liu?”
Seeing Jiutian Liu’s team, which consisted of students from various Finance Departments, True Monarch Tranquility wasn’t surprised.
After all, the competition rules made it impossible for teams to consist entirely of students from the same school.
The Four Heavenly Demon Schools and Four Myriad Laws Schools formed distinct camps, avoiding mixed teams to prevent sabotage. However, within each camp, many students still chose mixed-school teams.
From a strategic perspective, the school leaders encouraged these cross-school alliances, aiming to advance as many teams and students from their faction as possible in this stage.
“Hmm?” True Monarch Tranquility suddenly frowned. “Why hasn’t Zhang Yu moved yet? Is he breeding Demon Beasts? At this crucial moment?”
This sight puzzled not only True Monarch Tranquility but also many spectators.
Just then, a buzz of conversation rippled through the crowd: “Jiutian Liu has set off!”
“So fast!!”
A thunderous roar shook the live broadcast feed as Jiutian Liu, piloting a shuttle-shaped magical artifact, streaked through the water like lightning.
True Monarch Tranquility mused inwardly, “The Finance Department’s military-grade magical artifact: the Nine Heavens Divine Shuttle.”
“The wealthy elites of the Finance Department prioritize victory without conflict and cherish their lives above all else. This Nine Heavens Divine Shuttle is renowned as the premier escape vehicle among military-grade artifacts.”
“With this Treasure, securing first place in this round should be no problem for Jiutian Liu.”
Just as True Monarch Tranquility had predicted, Jiutian Liu arrived at the first checkpoint in the blink of an eye.
As the Nine Heavens Divine Shuttle transformed into eighty-one illusory copies that swept back and forth, it quickly located the black registration sphere, completed the registration, and sped toward the next area.
Before long, Jiutian Liu had caught up with Zhang Yu, who was still preoccupied with breeding Demon Beasts, and continued his sprint toward the first and second positions.
“Jiutian Liu is now third, and Zhang Yu is fourth.”
Meanwhile, another competitor set off from the starting line.
“Mu Qiansi has launched!”
“Is that her swimsuit?”
“Truly worthy of being Joyful Union University’s Heavenly Chosen. Just watching her is enough to complete a cultivation session.”
“Zhang Yu, keep going!”
“I’m heading out first.”
“See you at the finish line.”
Zhang Yu caught a glimpse of these words projected in the water before Jiutian Liu’s Nine Heavens Divine Shuttle gradually vanished from his sight.
“So fast,” Zhang Yu murmured to himself. “As expected, even with the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor and the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power, I’m still not the fastest in this race. Even if I push myself relentlessly, I’ll eventually be overtaken. After all, underwater speed isn’t the forte of these two Military-Grade Powers.”
“I can’t rely solely on brute-force speed to secure a top position in this stage.”
Shaking his head to clear his mind, Zhang Yu banished distracting thoughts and resumed breeding the Demon Beasts before him.
Moments later, Zhang Yu’s pause allowed Ling Pojun, whom he had just overtaken, to surge ahead again, dropping Zhang Yu to fifth place.
Meanwhile, within his water field, fish-shaped Demon Beasts, infused with fiend energy from the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor, gradually grew to over two meters long, their bellies sprouting pairs of arms.
Through the Spirit Realm connection provided by the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor, he could remotely control these Demon Beasts.
“Finally completed.”
“Go.”
With a thought from Zhang Yu, the massive school of fish demons before him abruptly scattered, gradually vanishing from his sight.
Just then, a voice seemed to cut through the water’s vibrations and reached Zhang Yu’s ears.
“Zhang Yu.”
Zhang Yu whirled around to see a familiar face approaching him from nearby.
“A-Zhen?”
A-Zhen smiled faintly, radiating an otherworldly charm as she walked across the water toward him, her footsteps barely disturbing the surface. She stopped before him, her eyes locking onto his.
“Zhang Yu…”
Noticing Zhang Yu’s slightly dazed expression, A-Zhen smiled and extended her hand, reaching for the relay ball nestled in his arms.
But in the next instant, Zhang Yu’s gaze sharpened. With lightning speed, he lashed out, his palm striking A-Zhen squarely in the chest.